Stone Cold and Sober
by Hyuuga-sama
Summary: A tale of desire, desperation, blossoming romance, and the incestuous blood within the Hyuuga Clan. Rated M for language/failed lemon. 2/8/10 - Chapter 9 up: The birth of their child is painful for the pair; can they survive it, or will this be the end?
1. Chapter I: Union of the Houses

**Stone-cold and Sober**

_A tale of desire, desperation, blossoming romance, and the incestuous blood within the Hyuuga clan_

**Chapter I:  
Union of the Houses**

**"Father wants us to get married, Nii-san."**

Hinata's lips trembled. The child of fate said nothing. Did nothing. The girl shifted on her feet, fearing that her knees would give out under the weight of the profound silence around her. Still the caged bird remained stoic and silent. Hinata rested her thumb between her lips, worrying the skin around the nail as she waited, praying to Kami that Fortune's disciple would not hurt her. Breathless seconds passed, agonizingly slow as they wiled themselves away.

Thin fingers began to drum against the wood of the floor. Ashen eyes narrowed and turned steely with a glare as sharp as daggers, ready to be thrown at anyone who egged them on. Long strands of brown hair prickled outwards as subtle impatience turned to absolute wrath and revulsion in the other Hyuuga's innards. He was outraged. No, livid. Ready to lash out.

Neji wanted to scream. He wanted to cry; to rip his heart, which he was sure had just turned to stone, out of his chest; to throw a thousand kunai into Rock Lee's overstuffed head. He wanted to kill his uncle. In the Branch-Hyuuga's mind, death was the only suitable punishment for Hiashi; what could the head of the Main House be thinking? Marry his cousin?

Neji felt sick.

**"Marriage?"** The words were cold and laced with arsenic as the lower Hyuuga spat at his cousin. She flinched, stumbling back a few steps and bringing her arms up across her chest. Neji sneered – she was still afraid of him. He levered himself to his feet, using the few inches he had on Hinata to intimidate the girl even further as he stepped closer to her, his ivory eyes challenging and cold as they locked with hers. Hinata nodded at his question, her white eyes full of fear as the caged bird let out an exasperated sigh and hung his head. Marriage. To his cousin. Neji retched in his mind, but his heart ached; how would he explain this to Tenten? Surely, there was no escaping his uncle's desire. He would have to uphold Hiashi's decision and marry Hinata.

His cousin.

_'Damn the Hyuuga clan. Damn my uncle's raging desire for my blood in his House.' _Neji thought hotly to himself.

He had to get out of this.

The child of destiny swept past his startled cousin into the courtyard beyond, muttering curses and shooting deadly glares at anyone who passed him. He marched across the grass to the central Hyuuga compound, rage boiling his blood until it was as hot as a gaggle of naked Uchihas in the midsummer sun. He was fuming. Ready to kill. Heartsick.

---

A/N: I SO do not support NejixHina, but this fanfiction begged to be written. More is sure to come, devoted readers…so please be patient with me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, Neji, or Hinata. In fact, I don't own anything associated with this fanfiction except the plot. Hence, I am not a thief/crook/butt pirate.


	2. Chapter II: A Promise of Precious Blood

**Stone-cold and Sober**

_A tale of desire, desperation, blossoming romance, and the incestuous blood within the Hyuuga clan_

**Chapter II:****  
A Promise of Precious Blood**

The doors to Hiashi's personal quarters burst open, and to the head Hyuuga's surprise, a snarling Neji was standing behind them, practically foaming at the mouth with rage. His face exhibited embarrassment and disgust, too – instantly, Hiashi knew that his daughter had expressed his wishes to his young nephew. However, he approached the caged bird with a small smile and the usual cold, distant Hyuuga charm.

"**What can I do for you, Neji-kun?"** Hiashi's words were placid and spoken in a deep tone.

"**You know damn well what you can do. Explain yourself, Hiashi!"** Neji spat, storming into the room and placing both hands on his uncle's desk.

"**You will address me as Hiashi-san or nothing at all, Neji-kun**." The head Hyuuga's voice took a more commanding tone as he drew himself up to his full height, glowering down at his nephew. Neji's rage only grew as he scowled up at his uncle, his white gaze challenging as he parted his lips in a fearsome snarl.

"**Fine, I'll play your little game, Hiashi-**_**san**_**. Now tell me,"** the lower Hyuuga growled, gritting his teeth and balling his hands into fists, **"what on earth would compel you to ask Hinata and me to marry?"**

Hiashi smiled and turned his back on the lower Hyuuga, gazing out of the open back wall at the birds chirping in the nearby bamboo grove. **"I thought you might ask that." **he replied, **"It has been the way of our clan to keep our blood pure; this you know all too well."** Hiashi's voice darkened and Neji flinched; his forehead stung slightly as the curse seal warmed his flesh there. **"However, we do this by more than dividing the Main and Branch Houses. It is customary to cull the bad blood from both Houses, and introduce good blood back into the Main House. Pure blood. Strong blood. You have the very blood that the elders and I have been looking for."** The head Hyuuga whirled around and narrowed his eyes hungrily at his nephew. **"Your father, my brother, cursed me with a beautiful specimen of the Hyuuga clan that was left to rot in the Branch House. I won't have it. I must have your blood in the Main House. Such beautiful, prized blood hasn't been in the Main House for decades, maybe even centuries! Think of the power the Hyuuga clan will have in the village, the glory we will be restored to – all by your blood, Neji! Such precious blood…"** Hiashi moved closer to his nephew, frenzied desire set in his eyes like glittering diamonds. His hand shot out – Neji braced himself for a smack, but only felt the wind from his uncle's sharp movement. Then, like a butterfly's wing touching a flower petal, Hiashi stroked his nephew's cheek, earning a low growl of disgust from the teen; Neji darted away from his crazed uncle in the blink of an eye, sliding across the wooden floor as he dropped into a traditional Hyuuga battle crouch. He was as irate as a bull in a sea of red.

"**So you would have me fuck your daughter, **_**my cousin,**_** all for the sake of having my skills in your precious Main House?!"** All the emotions of his past scars – his father's murder, the Chuunin Exam, Hiashi's confession, his change of heart about destiny – came rumbling to the surface, exploding in Neji's already-angry mind like a volcano. He was as insane as his uncle now, thrown into a frenzied rage of disgust and anguish; chakra crackled in the air like blue lightning as Neji turned on the spot, unleashing his fury in the form of the Kaiten.

The room was turned into a blender.

Through the rampage of whirling chakra, crashing furniture, flapping screens, snapping floorboards and Neji's tormented roars, Hiashi smiled. No, he grinned like the Cheshire cat. **"Yes!"** He called over the tumult around him, **"Don't you see, Neji? You are the brightest, most skilled Hyuuga ever to enter our clan! With your power in the right place, our clan could become the best in Konoha - no, the entirety of Fire country! You can become great! Let Hinata and me help you become as illustrious as your skills demonstrate!"**

As suddenly as the hurricane had come, it vanished. Wood settled to the floor in pieces; the screens that had been torn from the doors drooped like rice stalks at the peak of harvest; the furniture lay haphazard around the shambled room. At the center of the carnage was Neji, standing in a crater carved into the floor and the dirt below it; and the lower Hyuuga was sagging from exhaustion and emotional release. His catharsis was over.

Hiashi approached his nephew, who did not shy away. Not a muscle twitched in Neji's toned form as his uncle rested a hand lightly on his shoulder. A few silent moments filled with tension and unspoken questions passed before hoarse words croaked from the lesser Hyuuga's lips. **"I want to marry my comrade, Tenten."** he muttered quietly, **"Please. I'll give you what you want: I'll fuck Hinata, and give you a son so that you may have my gifts – my precious blood - in the Main House. But please…don't ask me to marry my cousin."**

After a long pause, Hiashi nodded. **"I consent to that, Neji-kun."**

And the devil smiled.

---

A/N: That was a hard write. TT^TT As you've already gathered, this story is rated M for language, as well as a lemon in chapter three. Ugh. Plus, I would be willing to bet on some gore in chapter 9…hold out for more, my friends. I'm sure Neji-san will come out of this unscathed.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, Neji, or Hinata. In fact, I don't own anything associated with this fanfiction except the plot. Hence, I am not a thief/crook/butt pirate.


	3. Chapter III: The Needle of Tonight

**Stone-cold and Sober**

_A tale of desire, desperation, blossoming romance, and the incestuous blood within the Hyuuga clan_

**Chapter III:****  
The Needle of Tonight**

The fire hissed and popped in the basin, casting eerie shadows over the stark wooden walls. Two sets of colorless eyes locked together – two Hyuugas in a staring contest, each waiting for the other to speak. Painful and mysterious tidings hung heavily between them, troubling her as much as him. Still, she refused to believe it; and as the light from the fire flickered across Hinata's face, she dared to speak to her cousin.

"**A c-child?"** the heiress stammered, staring incredulously across the flames at the other Hyuuga, **"B-but why? How? W-we're cousins, Nii-san…" **She trailed off as she watched his face. The firelight made Neji's emotions dance a tango in his pallid eyes; his gaze was fixed on her face, as if trying to guess the girl's feelings through her body language.

"**It doesn't matter why, Hinata-chan. Your father will get what he wants, or he'll have our heads."** Neji said grimly, wincing slightly as his curse seal prickled; Hiashi was watching. Waiting.

Hinata dared to lean a bit closer to the fire, her voice weak and desperate as she responded to the lesser Hyuuga. **"And F-Father expects this child to be c-conceived-…"**

"**Tonight."** Neji finished, his tone low and sympathetic as he whispered to his cousin. Silence echoed around the room, broken only by the snapping of the wood in the fire. Hinata slumped back, her face pale and mortified in the orange light. Her hands balled into nervous fists over the silk sheets of the sleeping mat she was sitting on. She knew there was no avoiding her father's decision; she felt as trapped as her cousin had been his whole life. And now, as the caged bird casually poured water on the fire and left nothing but smoking ashes and the pale blue light of the moon, the heiress shifted closer to him and tentatively took his hand in hers.

"**W-well,"** Hinata spluttered, **"we'd better g-get it over with, Nii-san."** Neji's white eyes shone knowingly in the darkness as he nodded briskly, moving to sit on his knees in front of his cousin. After a brief pause, both Hyuugas gripped the hems of their shirts and lifted them over their heads, leaving them bare and pale-skinned against the bluish glow slowly filling the room. Hinata's first motion after this was crossing her arms over her chest and bowing her head; Neji caught a glimpse of a cherry-red blush on his cousin's cheeks and instantly, a pang of guilt and sympathy struck him. He knew she must have been petrified – she didn't want to have sex with him, let alone carry his child. Neither wanted to do the dirty deed that was ahead of them, but both knew there was no escaping it – the only way out was death. Neji flinched and made a small noise in the back of his throat; they would have to do this together, supporting each other like real cousins would, whether sleeping together or not. He looked at his blushing cousin with new-found pity in his eyes. All the scorn he had felt for her just hours earlier had died like the fire, leaving nothing but the ashes of remorse and compassion behind.

He moved closer to Hinata and rested a warm hand on her arm. It was like an electric shock to the younger Hyuuga, that surprising touch full of an emotion she had never known her cousin to express. Her head snapped up, and she gazed into his eyes, her lips slightly parted but trembling too much to produce words. Neji bit back a groan of shame and leaned forward to rest his head on her shoulder. **"I'm so sorry, Hinata-chan…for everything you will have to go through on my account…"** His voice was thin and hoarse with anxiety and pained disgust. After a pause, Hinata reached up and gripped the lesser Hyuuga's forearm tightly, bowing her head to give her first true command to her Branch House kin.

"**Do it, Nii-san."**

Neji grit his teeth and gave up his pride. His hands shifted to Hinata's shoulders as she tugged her pants down her legs and tossed them away. The caged bird swallowed his mortification and bit down hard on his cousin's shoulder to preoccupy his blushing mind; she, in turn, bit back a squeal of pain and wound her thin legs around his waist, imploring him to do the deed.

_A strange thing, heartache;_ w_reaking havoc on two love-makers who never wanted it._

Neji decided time couldn't pass any slower as his frenzied hands pressed Hinata back against the bed-roll on the floor.

_The sound of a shattering spirit rings loudly in his ears, but is it his own?_

Her fingers tangled in the drawstring of his pants, dragging the fabric down his spindly legs and throwing them in the heap of discarded clothing.

_Two souls, two bodies, reluctantly become one, and a spark sets a third between them._

A soft cry splintered the silence of the nighttime air. Still, the crickets continued chirping, the nocturnal animals kept hunting, and the clouds forge onward in their circle in the heavens. But the moon, having seen the shame of the two Hyuugas, bows his head in humiliation and veils himself in the cloak of the night sky. He offers them the gift of darkness to hide their guilt, their reluctant passion, their sorrow for what they have done to one another.

_Is it fate?_

That is enough for the caged bird.

_It is always fate._

---

A/N: Urgh. I couldn't get too sexual with it…I didn't want the emotional turmoil between them to take a back seat to their physical doings. :x Review?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, Neji, or Hinata. In fact, I don't own anything associated with this fanfiction except the plot. Hence, I am not a thief/crook/butt pirate.


	4. Chapter IV: The Caged Bird Alone

**Stone-cold and Sober**

_A tale of desire, desperation, blossoming romance, and the incestuous blood within the Hyuuga clan_

**Chapter IV:****  
The Caged Bird Alone**

The sun warmed Hinata's cheeks as she stirred, opening pale eyes to greet the morning. Immediately, she felt the soreness of her naked body and, with a knowing groan, the previous night flashed into her mind: her cousin's bare body over hers, his terrified and blushing eyes set on hers as she writhed beneath him.

She'd had sex with Neji.

Damn it.

But where was he now? Where was the man who had torn her down and rebuilt her as he wanted, fashioning her out of his malice and cynicism? The heiress struggled to sit up, fighting off waves of nausea and twinges of pain as she did. An airy moan left her lips as she rubbed her temples; she had a headache that felt as though Chouji had sat on her head all night. What possibly could the other Hyuuga have done to her to make her so sore?

"**Don't get up too fast."** Neji's smooth voice flowed to Hinata's ears like healing water, a melody in the song of the morning. The kunoichi turned to see the lesser Hyuuga sitting cross-legged outside the sliding door of his room; his back was to her, but she knew by the tone of his smooth voice that today, he was relaxed and slightly sheepish. He had already dressed, and was in the process of brushing the kinks out of his long, chocolate-colored tresses. He was evidently having quite a time with it; though most of his hair had been tamed and made to lay flat against his stately shoulder blades, Neji's bangs still stuck out and were knotted in places, and he winced with each stroke of the brush. Hinata chuckled to herself – she knew the other Hyuuga liked to have his hair braided at night to keep the tangles out of it. Neji Hyuuga was very vain at times, especially when it came to his hair.

"**H-how long have you been up, N-Nii-san?"** Hinata's question was meek and awkward; though last night had made her Nii-san finally begin treating her like a human, it had also served as a crowbar to widen the rift between the cousins.

_Despite his change of face, the caged bird and the Hyuuga princess are now more distant than ever._

Neji's response was sour: **"A few hours. I didn't want to disturb you."** He added the latter part of his statement as Hinata let out a nervous squeak and hurried to pull on her clothes; she had noticed the time, and the fact that she had overslept by a good two hours. She was late for training for the first time since she was a Genin…Kiba and Shino wouldn't let her live it down now. As she made herself ready, Neji pulled his heavy hair back into his usual loose pony-tail, his hands slow and elegant as he allowed his fingers to thread through his silky brunette locks. Hinata caught herself watching him, envying him; he had always been more graceful than she was, always more like a normal Hyuuga. He was statelier than her, and carried himself with more poise, regality, and pride than she did. Even though according to Hyuuga law, he was a lowly Branch House member with nothing to be proud of, Neji was more imperial than Hiashi at times.

Though she had made herself ready for her day minutes earlier, Hinata tarried a bit longer to watch her cousin. She absentmindedly twirled a kunai between her fingers, her eyes and mind only slightly focused on the weapon. Neji had stirred from a bout of daydreaming and, to wake himself up, got to his feet and stretched fluidly, popping the stress of sleep from his back and shoulders. Hinata dragged her feet as she shouldered her pack, approaching the lesser Hyuuga like she was swimming through molasses. She knew she had to talk to him.

"**So…"** Hinata began mildly, pretending to be casual as she spoke. Ugh, the awkward after-sex talk.

"**So."** Neji's response was surprisingly sheepish and low in his throat. Hinata fidgeted under the caged bird's remorseful gaze. It was hard for her to look at him and not imagine his pale, toned body pressed against hers. Her mind screamed at her to run, to escape the whip that her silver-tongued cousin had lashed her with before and surely would now. She wanted to get to the safety of her cell where, no doubt, she would spill everything to Kiba and Shino. There would be some hysterics, too – ah, the joys of being female.

The heiress stifled a whimper and shifted nervously away from Neji. **"I-…I'd better get t-to the training grounds…"** She stammered, unable to force herself to bring up the previous evening, which is what she truly wanted to do. Her Branch House kin nodded briskly, but held his tongue; he, too, did not dare to speak of the past eighteen hours. A few frosty seconds crept by, accompanied by nothing more than the far-off whistling of birds.

A roiling, thrashing sea of uncertainty and shame raged about beneath Neji's tranquil masquerade.

---

"**Kuso."** The lesser Hyuuga swore as he sped through the forest, hopping easily from branch to branch. He was late for training…Gai would put him in that vile spandex suit as punishment. Neji mentally vomited – he would rather sleep with Hinata again than wear that jumpsuit. Green wasn't his color; it made him look like a cucumber - and, even worse, it made him match Gai and Lee. There was no worse torture. In fear of his village-wide reputation, Neji forced his sore muscles to work harder, propelling himself through the trees at a faster pace.

He slid to a halt outside the training grounds, sending up a shower of grit and grass as he slowed his frenetic pace. The fear of the jumpsuit dwindled from his veins – it didn't appear that anyone was here yet. It wasn't like Gai or Lee to be late, and Tenten was just as afraid of the spandex as Neji was – she never missed a training session, either. The Hyuuga straightened, turning his head from side to side as the unusual silence nonplussed him.

Then, a Cheshire-like grin split Neji's usually-cool countenance. He dropped into a crouch, narrowly dodging a kunai thrown out of nowhere. With ease, he shifted into the Kaiten, his thin white form becoming a large, rotating hemisphere of crackling blue chakra. This deflected several more kunai, as well as the thrower – Rock Lee's green-and-orange leg collided with the crown of the Kaiten, catching him up in the swirl of chakra and sending the disciple of Youth tumbling head-over-heels away from the disciple of Fate.

"**You are late for training, Neji-san!"** Lee called over the whirr and whistle of the Kaiten. The green beast got back to his feet and sped towards the Hyuuga, who stopped his rotation and sent two quick jabs into Lee's stomach. Damn that boy's abs of steel. The Jounin blocked a punch with chakra, and then stabbed at Lee's left shoulder, chakra buzzing in his fingertips. Lee staggered, his damaged arm slumping, paralyzed, to his side; of course, he wasn't finished (this is Rock Lee we're talking about) – he flew into a series of well-aimed kicks, forcing Neji to block with bruised forearms. After this intense barrage in which neither fighter was hurt, Lee skidded back over the ground, but did not get to his feet. The melee had only taken thirty seconds, but had left both shinobi breathless.

Laughter broke out from the training ground, sending a few harried birds flying from the treetops.

"**A good spar, Neji-san!"** Lee said grandly, flashing Neji a smile that could have blinded him. The green beast's resemblance to Gai was unsettling to the Hyuuga, who chuckled and reluctantly agreed with his comrade. Lee then got to his feet and slung his pack off of his shoulder, acting as though he had a wildly-expensive gift he was eager to share. Neji was mildly afraid of this; whatever was in Lee's bag was sure to kill him or at least destroy his reputation. But all the worry was in vain – the soldier of Youth tugged a small, folded piece of paper out from his satchel, then sped to Neji's side and held it out. **"I found this tacked to the entrance to our sparring grounds. It's got your name on it."**

Sure enough, Neji's first and last name was scrawled in curvy handwriting to the front of the note. The Hyuuga arched a thin eyebrow and took it from Lee, making sure not to actually touch the green beast's fingers - grody. He gently unfolded the piece of paper, the nagging feeling of anticipation causing his heart to flutter.

_Neji-kun,_

_Kiba and Shino told me all about what happened between you and Hinata last night, and I'm appalled to say the least. Why would your uncle make you do that? Marry your cousin? Sleep with her? That's just wrong. But I know how you are about your family; there's no getting out of this, is there? I'm sorry you're stuck marrying a cold fish – you and I both know you deserve better than that. I'm also sorry that I have to leave your side…I can't go on missions with you anymore. We can't be together anymore, for obvious reasons. With all that has transpired between the two of us and now the two of you, I don't think I can handle being around either of you. Please understand – it's not you…it's me. I just can't handle you and your clan right now…  
_

_I'm so sorry, Neji-kun._

_All my love,_

_Tenten_

The note was crumpled into a small, illegible ball after his white eyes had finished pining over the words. No, it couldn't be. His plan was backfiring on him. His deal with Hiashi was backfiring. It couldn't be. The Hyuuga's sheer speechlessness then turned to gut-wrenching anguish. Damn the gossip between the shinobi of Konoha! Damn his cousin for blabbing to her cell-mates, and damn her for not getting the story right! Damn those fuckers Kiba and Shino for telling Tenten! Damn the game of telephone that the situation had turned into!

A single tear hit the ground like gunfire, shattering his world into a thousand glass shards.

Neji threw back his head and wailed.

---

A/N: Like it? Longer than the other ones. :x I'm really proud of the ending – very subjective in my opinion. So, what will happen to our poor Hyuuga-sama? His whole world is falling apart on him! What will he do now that he's been so ruined? Can he salvage his reputation? And what about Hinata – will she face her cousin's rage like a rock in a rampaging sea, or like a frail leaf in a tempest? And will they conceive a son to end their misery? Just you wait for the next chapter – it'll be a doozy! Oh, I forgot to mention: there'll be a certain shadowy Chuunin getting off his lazy ass in chapter 5… 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, Neji, or Hinata. In fact, I don't own anything associated with this fanfiction except the plot. Hence, I am not a thief/crook/butt pirate.


	5. Chapter V: Old Blood and Cigarettes

**Stone-cold and Sober**

_A tale of desire, desperation, blossoming romance, and the incestuous blood within the Hyuuga clan_

**Chapter V: ****  
Old Blood and Cigarettes / Bittersweet Tidings**

"**You know I don't believe them. I know better than that."**

Soft hands gently draped a jacket around Neji's thin shoulders, offering warmth from both the bitter autumn air and the cruelty of gossip. It was a gesture of the unwavering, unfading friendship the two shinobi shared, and it meant a lot to Neji that he had someone like this teen to run to. The Hyuuga smiled weakly and thanked the other quietly as the Chuunin sat down in the grass beside him.

"**I'm glad that gossip doesn't get to you."** Neji muttered as Shikamaru idly twirled a kunai between his thin fingers. The lazy teen shrugged and laid back in the grass, putting his hands behind his head and crossing one leg over the other as he let out a deep, smoke-infused sigh. Neji wrinkled his nose as the smell of cigarette smoke reached him; he had tried for months to get Shikamaru out of the bad habit passed down to him via Asuma's death and the passage of his Will of Fire to the young Chuunin. All efforts had been in vain, of course – the Nara couldn't be placated by words and friendship alone, like Neji could. There was a deeper passion in Shikamaru; of course, watching the person closest to you die a brutal death would instill a person with rage that would last a lifetime. And so he continued to smoke, and to gag his friends and family with the sickly smell of remembrance.

"**Meh, I believe in getting information like that from the source." **the Nara said casually, a small smile on his thin lips as he fixed sunken eyes on the Hyuuga, **"Man, I'm really sorry that you have to go through this. Sleeping with your cousin?" **He grimaced, turning his ailing gaze to the sky. **"That's just wrong. How long ago did he have you conceive the child?"**

"**Three weeks." **Neji's voice was soft.

"**But Hiashi took back the marriage, right? You can still have a life after all of this?"**

Neji nodded halfheartedly. Shikamaru noticed.

"**Tenten's gone, I know. What will you do now?"** He said deliberately, sitting up and watching the Jounin's movements intently. Neji pulled his knees up to his chest, trying to hide himself from the Chuunin's prying eyes, but to no avail. After a long silence, the older shinobi shook his head wearily and the younger reached out to offer a warm pat on the back. In his mind, Shikamaru felt sick from more than the cigarette he had smoked an hour earlier; he hated seeing Neji this weak, this vulnerable. Neji was always the strong one, always the one to hold out the longest in a fight. Not once had the Hyuuga broken beneath the weight of something else; he always shouldered his problems, and the problems of others, without a crack forming in the pale marble of his countenance. But this had pushed him beyond breaking point, and forced the Jounin to approach the Chuunin for comfort – always a strange situation to behold. But even in this brokenness, the Hyuuga was able to maintain an air of royalty that forced the Nara to drop his cigarettes and come to his aid, which was completely out of character for the Chuunin. Shikamaru swore under his breath as the long-dead coals buried within his soul crackled to life again, warming his blood in a way he hadn't felt in months; the Hyuuga still held sway in their friendship. Kuso. The Nara coughed as the butterflies from his stomach fluttered into his throat. **"You'll get through this, Neji. I know you will."**

"**It's not like you to be so confident."** Neji half-joked in a meek whisper, his thin fingers gripping the jacket around him tightly; Shikamaru didn't know exactly what motivated him to do so, but he chuckled low in his throat and shifted behind the Jounin to rub his tense shoulders in gentle circles. The Hyuuga's eyelids fell closed as the Nara's supple fingers danced over his skin, relaxing his muscles with barely a touch. It was an all-too-familiar action, one that brought forth old blood, old thoughts in both shinobi. Silence permeated the place like fog, seeping into every corner of the hilltop and forcing outside life to watch the melodrama unfold between the tortured Hyuuga and the Nara who was half-dead from chain smoking.

Shikamaru's voice was rough with both unspoken emotions and damage from smoking as it cracked the silence that had a stranglehold on the area**. "Maybe not, but I can afford to be confident in you." **the Nara sighed lazily, a soft grin on his lips. His hands continued to make small circles over the Hyuuga's shoulders, lending warm support to the other shinobi as he continued to speak in a gruff tone. **"Neji – I know you better than anyone in this village knows you."** Shikamaru murmured, his fingers skimming down Neji's shoulders to his spine, **"I trust that you'll get through this without a scratch, like you did before. You aren't the kind of guy to let a girl break you, or to let the fate of your clan burden you. Hinata will have the child and this will all be a memory for you. Granted, it will be a painful memory…but I know you, Neji. I know how strong you are."**

Shikamaru's hands stopped abruptly on Neji's back. A quizzical look broke over the Hyuuga's face as he shifted slightly, betraying his nervousness to the Nara behind him. Silence once again took over, but it didn't last long: Neji inhaled sharply as Shikamaru bowed his head to whisper in his ear gently.** "I know you inside and out – with or without your clothes on." **Neji hissed and reached back to swat Shikamaru on the shoulder, as if punishing him for bringing up the old fire between them. The Nara was obviously hurt by the gesture, or was at least very good at pretending to be – he backed away from the Hyuuga, closing himself off and letting the awkwardness settle between the pair. The earth beneath the two crackled as the Chuunin got to his feet; his voice was dark and reluctant as he spoke.** "I have something that can help you and Hinata. If you decide you want it, you know where to find me." **

In a swirl of blackness, the Nara was gone, leaving nothing but traces of cigarette smoke in the air.

**---**

Neji collapsed onto his bedroll, letting an airy sigh pass his lips. Damn that Nara for bringing the old blood back in him. Thank Kami he knew that bratty Chuunin so well – he would have thought Shikamaru meant to love him again were he less knowledgeable. Of course, that little monster was only leading him on, toying with him in a way that only Shikamaru Nara could. The Hyuuga cursed loudly into his pillow; it wasn't fair. All the love was gone, if there was any in the first place; but the romance was still alive and burning, and the sexual tension still strangled both of them. But what could Shikamaru have that would help his situation here at the Hyuuga compound? Neji groaned, rolling onto his back and staring blankly up at the ceiling. On the plus side, what had happened between him and his old flame had preoccupied him, kept him from the problem at hand. At least he wasn't thinking about his cousin…

"**Nii-san."** Hinata's nervous voice rerouted Neji's train of thought. Fuck.

"**Hinata-chan,"** Neji murmured, struggling to sit up and look his cousin in the eye. The heiress was pale and wild-looking, and instantly the lesser Hyuuga was concerned.** "What is it? Is everything okay?"** His voice took on a more alert tone as he questioned Hinata. Said Hyuuga shifted worriedly on her feet, nodding imperceptibly.

"**I-…"** she stammered, her entire frame trembling as she whispered, **"I-I'm pregnant, Nii-san."**

The old blood was suppressed, the bad romance of months before forgotten. But the thought of Shikamaru was like an anvil in his mind – he would need to take that Chuunin up on his offer in these next eight months, though he wanted to visit the Nara household like he wanted to wear the spandex of Gai and Lee. The weight of what he and Hinata would have to go through during this pregnancy crushed the lesser Hyuuga, proving to him that, as usual, Shikamaru was correct in his analysis of the situation. Neji felt detached from himself as he struggled to his feet, moving slowly towards his cousin as if his heavy mind weighed his feet down. Thoughts of the Nara, romantic and platonic, flickered faintly between the worry for his cousin and his reputation, the emotions whirling through his mind like a rampaging train about to crash. As the train careened off the tracks and crushed itself into a violent heap of metal and corpses, the caged bird's thin arms found their way around Hinata's shoulders.

They embraced amid the wreckage of their lives.

---

A/N: Lol, I had to put my favorite pairing into this tale. xD I can't help myself. If you don't like it…let me know gently. I don't take to dissing on Neji x Shika well, and I think it fits in well with Neji's rather scarred past, the old romance between him and Shikamaru...but the story continues, and I promise the Neji x Shika has a deeper meaning for later in the story. :D So, will Hinata's precious Nii-san stay true to his word and protect her through her pregnancy? And what possibly could Shikamaru have up his sleeve to help Neji in his hour of need? Don't hate the plot twist just yet - it might just save our two Hyuugas!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, Neji, or Hinata. In fact, I don't own anything associated with this fanfiction except the plot. Hence, I am not a thief/crook/butt pirate.


	6. Chapter VI: Holly and Ivy

**Stone-cold and Sober**

_A tale of desire, desperation, blossoming romance, and the incestuous blood within the Hyuuga clan_

**Chapter VI: ****  
Holly and Ivy**

A bitter Autumn drifted into the abyss of Winter. Snow fell almost daily, blanketing Konoha in a thick coat of white. All across the village, the decorum of Christmastime was being put up: evergreen branches twisted around street lights, ornaments and tinsel adorned the freshly-cut trees in every house and apartment, and strings of colored lights crisscrossed the leafless trees on every street corner. Each clan had its own way of preparing for the Yuletide season, every difference only adding to the feeling of cheer around the village.

The smell of sandies and gingerbread men wafted temptingly from the Akimichi household; these they would share with anyone who asked, in honor of their kind of Christmas.

Shikamaru and his father embellished their deer with bell-laced harnesses and green-and-red blankets, the pair singing "O Holy Night" in traditional Nara fashion as they worked; and, of course, the forest itself was decorated with strings of popcorn and cranberries, natural decorations that benefited all life within the bare trees.

Naruto and Rock Lee hauled a twenty-five foot tree into the village square, using their combined strength to heft the massive tree into a standing position; together, they and a group of their closest comrades strung the tree with tinsel and all manner of baubles and Christmas stars.

The Christmas merriment even touched the proud Hyuuga clan – within the stark white walls of the Hyuuga compound, carols were sung in well-layered Gregorian chant as the white-eyed inhabitants hung braided strands of holly and ivy around door frames and fireplaces. However, two Hyuugas felt the Christmas cheer more than ever this season…

---

It had been three months, they noted, as Neji and Hinata entwined their strands of holly and ivy over the entrance to the compound. Contented smiles hung on their lips as they twisted the greenery hand-over-hand down the sides of the entryway. Snow began to fall as they finished, freezing the evening air and causing the cheeks and noses of the two Hyuugas to turn red with cold. Still, they smiled as they turned and headed slowly away from the compound, the caged bird and the heiress walking happily, side-by-side – a strange occurrence to all who witnessed it.

Though the beauty and joy of Christmas did a bit to temper the troubled sea within Neji's spirit, he couldn't help but wonder how his cousin was holding up. These last three months had been rough, between the dirty looks both Hyuugas received and the torture of morning sickness that Hinata endured and Neji helped ease. But the two were slowly gaining their status back; as they passed through the streets of Konoha, people smiled and bowed to the pair, and not a dirty look could be found in a single person's eyes. _'Thank Kami for the Christmas spirit.'_ Neji thought, _'It sanctifies us.'_

The pair wandered into the village square, the brightly-colored lights and sparkling ornaments reflected back in their enchanted white eyes. Delight shone on Hinata's face as she approached Naruto, who had just finished helping Kiba and Chouji lay down the final slab of ice in the makeshift skating rink around the village tree. The two embraced, and Neji felt his heart warm within his chest – Naruto was gentle with her, and didn't touch her slightly-swollen stomach as he held her. The two talked for a short while, Neji standing alert but relaxed a few feet from Hinata, before the Jinchuuriki was called away to help decorate the tree that Rock Lee insisted on putting at Cell Twelve's training area. As the other shinobi trotted off to lend a hand, the two Hyuugas faced each other; cold silence echoed around them, only warmed by the distant singing coming from the Nara household. "O Holy Night" struck a chord with the caged bird and the heiress, filling them with the irresistible, delicious feeling of Yuletide cheer; warm smiles splintered the façade of coolness coming from both Hyuugas.

_O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining_…

They were called by the Christmas spirit to dance.

The pair stepped onto the ice, chakra blazing in their heels. Neither had to say anything as they began to move, flying over the ice as if each truly believed they had wings. They whirled about in each others' arms, using the far-off song of the Nara clan as the rhythm to which they moved their feet. Chakra provided the perfect barrier between ice and Hyuuga, the energy humming softly as Branch and Main Houses slid over the ice rapidly; the perfect control over their chakra allowed the pair to move flawlessly together and apart, dancing over the makeshift pond in a way no other clan could. For long minutes they danced, flowing like water and soaring like birds as the Christmas spirit uplifted them, nurtured them. Villagers watched the duo in awed silence, observing the dance from nearby balconies and shop windows; none dared to speak or move, not wanting to interrupt the illustrious couple. But the joy was not meant to last; even Holiday cheer can be suppressed by the vast problems the caged bird and the heiress suffered under. As if a light flickered on in each Hyuuga's mind, the dance froze, and the pair watched each other with sheepish eyes. What were they thinking, dancing like fools in the bitter cold? Hiashi would scold them upon their return; they knew and feared it.

The pair hurried home in the cold, their breath forming before their faces like the cigarette smoke of the late Asuma and his apprentice Shikamaru...

Still the three Naras sang, raising their song to the heavens with pure voices.

_Oh night divine, oh night divine…_

---

A/N: Don't make cracks about my mixing cultures. -.- I used "O Holy Night" because it's my favorite Christmas carol, and the Nara clan would sing it well in my mind; and Kami is something/someone shinobi beg to for daily reasons…in my mind. I don't know that much about it…it's only a term to me. But, regardless of that, I like the Christmas-ness within this chapter. Just wanted to convey that time has passed, and that something is growing between our two Hyuugas…but what could it be? Neji still hasn't swallowed his pride and gone to his former flame for help, and Shikamaru still hides his true intentions from the caged bird. What will happen in this tangled threesome we have developed? I mean, Shikamaru surely intends to help the two torn Hyuugas…right?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, Neji, or Hinata. In fact, I don't own anything associated with this fanfiction except the plot. Hence, I am not a thief/crook/butt pirate.


	7. Chapter VII: Bitter Deliverance

**Stone-cold and Sober**

_A tale of desire, desperation, blossoming romance, and the incestuous blood within the Hyuuga clan_

**Chapter VII: ****  
Bitter Deliverance**

Christmas had come and gone, providing temporary sanctuary to our pair of Hyuugas; but that asylum crumbled away when all the Yuletide greenery was removed from the village. Now, it was springtime, and Valentine's Day had passed only days before. Konoha was still in the grip of Saint Valentine's romantic holiday – lovers strolled arm-in-arm down the festooned streets of the village; couples exchanged gifts and kisses with one another; and single men maintained that they would have female companionship for next year's Valentine's Day.

Neji wanted to gag himself.

He hated Valentine's Day more than anything. As he walked hurriedly through Konoha (he didn't want to attract any attention from the opposite gender), he tried not to vomit every time he noticed a smooching couple or a pair swapping chocolate boxes. Girls batted their eyes at him, trying to catch his piercing white gaze with their feminine antics and curvy bodies (curses, they had noticed he was single). He forced his eyes to the ground and hurried around the next corner, heading for the sanctity of the one place he had so dreaded going to – the Nara household.

_Bitter deliverance._

---

Silence abounded around the home of Konoha's most knowledgeable clan, broken only by the twittering of small birds in the nearby forest. Twigs occasionally snapped in the woods as the Nara deer approached the edge, drawn out from the leaves by the presence of the powerful Hyuuga; their soft eyes watched every move he made as they gingerly approached on their stately legs, movements slow and uncertain. Neji found himself transfixed by their slow actions, the graceful step of each hoof and subtle twist of each ear. So mesmerized was the Hyuuga that he forgot his wariness of the Naras, his hate of Valentine's Day, and his concern for his cousin. But this was soon broken: apparently, someone within the household noticed the movements of their deer – the sliding door to the courtyard of the Nara house was pulled open, and a bare-footed Shikamaru leaped out over the stones, sliding to a halt before his herd, which trotted eagerly to his side and nuzzled him with velvet noses. He muttered soft things to them, rubbing their foreheads and tugging softly on the antlers of the stags. Thus placated, the deer ventured back into their forest, and Shikamaru turned to go back inside.

A grin broke over the Nara's lips as he took three running steps, leapt gracefully onto a boulder, swung up into a tree, and shot like an arrow onto the roof of his house, clambering over the shingles and swinging down over his front door. He dropped to the ground in front of the Hyuuga, who hadn't the speed or reflexes to escape the agile Chuunin. Curse that boy – he could be fast as lightning when he wanted to be.

"**I knew you'd come."** Shikamaru bragged, his entire body displaying pride – he had been right, and he wanted to rub it in more than anything. The Hyuuga rolled his eyes and swatted the Nara on the shoulder. He was all business now, and wasn't about to be taken aback by his former flame's tricks.

"**Take me inside. I need to speak with you."**

_Bitter deliverance._

---

"**She's having a girl?"** The Nara's brows furrowed as he gazed intently at the melancholy Hyuuga, who nodded and focused down into his teacup, not wanting to lock eyes with the calculating Chuunin. **"But don't you need to have a son to pass on your blood? It won't be enough to have a girl. You need a son." **

Again, the Jounin nodded slowly. **"This is why I need your help, Shikamaru-kun. I need to have a son, so that my cousin and I don't have to endure this pain a second time. You said you could help me – what do you have that can give us aid?" **The Nara gazed thoughtfully at Neji, his dark eyes sunken and glassy behind the veil of smoke wafting up from his half-drained cigarette. He took another long drag from his cigarette, reaching down to tap the ashes from the end; he was careful to breathe the smoke away from his old lover, knowing how sensitive Neji's gag reflex was when he was agitated. He wasn't about to clean up vomit on his day off. Troublesome.

"**Well, my clan is the medical expert in the village. I'm sure we have something back in the old scrolls, some kind of regimen or intervention that can help you and Hinata."**

"**You mean you didn't know how to help us before?"** Neji rolled his eyes; it was just like that devious Nara to lure him in and let him down like this.

The Nara shook his head and was quick to correct the Hyuuga: **"I didn't know what sort of problem would be brought to me, but I'm well-prepared to handle any problem you and Hinata have."** He got to his feet and crossed the room to the giant, worn bureau in the corner; he pulled open several drawers, sending papers fluttering to the floor. As Shikamaru rummaged through his medical logs, Neji gazed down into his teacup, a ball of uncertainty forming in his stomach. If the Nara couldn't help him have a son with Hinata, he would have to do the horrible deed again…he and Hinata would have to tear each other apart a second time…

"**Found it!"** the Chuunin exclaimed, tugging a tattered scroll from the confines of the chest. He hurried back to the Hyuuga's side, flapping open the scroll and dropping it into Neji's lap. **"Those are the instructions for a reversal jutsu. It'll change the gender of your child…but only if it's not too far along. She's only five months in, right? We can still salvage your chances of having a son."**

The Hyuuga felt his heavy heart flutter with hope. If he had a son, he could disassociate himself from his cousin for the rest of his life; he would be that much freer, that much out of his cage. But somehow, this news of rescue made his heart ache...

_Bitter deliverance._

---

Hinata blushed and looked down at her feet, unable to look Shikamaru in the eye. The Nara took the opportunity to dig his elbow into Neji's ribs, shooting him a look that screamed, 'will she ever grow a spine?' Neji let out a choked noise that was halfway between a laugh and a disapproving snarl; he smacked the Chuunin's elbow away, distaste steely in his pallid eyes. The Nara raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, a knowing smirk on his lips; he then moved to tug the scroll from the pocket of his Chuunin vest, flapping it open and dropping it to the floor. His obsidian eyes scanned over the kanji, memorizing the instructions with expert speed and skill. He shifted to Hinata's side and politely maneuvered her onto the scroll, into the circle of kanji in the center of the paper. He made a flurry of hand-signs, and then paused to make sure both Hyuugas were ready. Then, with a knowing smile, he made the final sign and concentrated his chakra onto the scroll.

"**Let's begin."**

Neji waited nearby, his eyes not focused on his old lover or his ancient jutsu. He was watching his cousin. Waiting. Not daring to breathe. His salvation – their escape – was at hand; white shores were on the horizon, waiting to reclaim them from the tumultuous ocean of their doubt, their concern, and the destiny of the Hyuuga clan. The very destiny the pair had dealt with apart all their lives was bringing them together.

Together.

At that moment, Neji's eyes widened marginally; on the outside, nothing had happened, but a Chouji-sized load of something had landed heavily in the caged bird's soul. Suddenly, all the puzzle pieces fit together. All the uncertain emotions he felt on a daily basis, the jealousy of watching Naruto and Hinata embrace, the fits of laughter he suffered through when no one was around – all of them finally fell together. Neji swallowed the lump of conviction that had grown in his throat, a sickly look coming upon him. He couldn't hear Shikamaru question his well-being, or feel Hinata step shakily to his side and rest a hand on his shoulder; but he felt the fire from her touch.

He loved her.

Kuso.

_Bitter deliverance. _

---

A/N: Urgh, what a hard write. Forgive my late update – I had finals this week. *bows* But I'm out of school for the next two weeks, so I should be able to wrap this story up! Well, check that out – the Nara did intend to help them, but is his help undermined by a deeper desire? And Neji-san has realized his true feelings! When will Hinata find out, and what will she do when she does? And will Neji-san break under the pressure put upon him by his clan, his cousin, and his unborn child? Neji's recognition of his love for Hinata is sure to bring out the demon in him…the caged bird's madness. Darker things transpire in the next installment…dark things indeed.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, Neji, or Hinata. In fact, I don't own anything associated with this fanfiction except the plot. Hence, I am not a thief/crook/butt pirate.


	8. Chapter VIII: Haughty White Eyes

**Stone-cold and Sober**

_A tale of desire, desperation, blossoming romance, and the incestuous blood within the Hyuuga clan_

**Chapter VIII: ****  
Haughty White Eyes  
**

The early summer evening was warm and damp, with expended storm clouds leaving and more on the horizon; the smell of rain and damp earth was prevalent throughout the village. The paper-thin doors of the Hyuuga compound allowed the scents to filter in, along with the bluish light of the waxing moon. Save the songs of the crickets in the nearby forest, all was quiet.

Long strands of cappuccino hair fell over Neji's eyes; he blinked slowly before reaching up a thin hand to brush his lengthy hair away from his cherished Byakugan. The collar of his loosely-bound yukata slipped over his left shoulder, revealing the twisted scar he had received from Kidomarou; he was quick to cover the mark, gooseflesh appearing over his skin at the sight of it. He hated reminders of the past, and he carried them with him every day. He took a slow, controlled breath in and let it out silently – fatigue was setting in, but he refused to fall asleep. His shins were getting sore, he noticed; he had been sitting on them for too long. But he didn't dare shift – he feared waking the cherub in his lap.

Hinata slumbered peacefully, her head resting on the pillow of her cousin's lap.

Of course, the girl hadn't realized it was her cousin's lap as she drifted off a few hours earlier – to her, it was just another place to lay her head. But to her Nii-san, it was another rare chance to let his thoughts run wild in her unwary presence. It allowed him to watch her, and protect her in a way that only he could – her guardian angel, bound by fate, family duty, and fear of death to defend her. Recently, a new reason had shown its face to the caged bird, but not before he had gone mad with trying to remove its mask - love. Or was it love? Neji himself didn't understand the feelings he felt; all he knew was that his tie to his cousin was no longer one based on the duty the Branch House has for the Main House.

The lesser Hyuuga grimaced silently, mentally slapping himself. It was a weak slap, however: no matter how much he told himself that loving his cousin was wrong, there was no escaping his feelings for her…even now, as he watched Hinata doze serenely in his lap, he felt a giddy laugh well up in his throat, and fought to swallow it. He felt sick, trying to keep all of his thoughts to himself – thoughts of his cousin! This made him even more ill. But also, these emotions brought to light a question in the caged bird's mind.

'_Why is this happening to me?'_

A soft, pensive sigh passed Neji's lips. He had fought so hard to escape his destiny of servitude to the Main House, only to fall into the trap of romance with one of them. Maybe destiny really did have him caged – maybe it had all the Hyuugas snared in its clutches. Nostalgia clouded his ashen gaze as he thought back to when he was a fate-obsessed Genin; he was known as Fate's Right Hand around the village, commanding others to fall down before their own destinies. Even though Naruto had knocked some sense into him, the dictations of the Hyuuga clan maintained that every Hyuuga was bound to an outcome that was predefined: Main House members lived to protect and purify the clan's blood, and Branch House members lived – were enslaved - to defend the Main House. He still believed in fate, and cursed it for allowing him, its most loyal disciple, to be so tortured.

The question continued to burn in the caged bird's mind. _'Why me? Why is this happening?' _It raced, searing, through his mind until it was the only thing he could ponder. He wanted answers. As quietly and gently as he could, he shifted his knees out from beneath Hinata's head, replacing them with the pillow from her sleeping mat. The girl did not stir, only made a few hushed noises in her throat and rolled over, falling back into deep sleep. Neji dared to breathe again.

He padded softly out of the room and down the hall, his shadow flitting behind him like a meadowlark in the moonlight. He was calm but alert, watching with ivory eyes made stark and bright in the light of the stars; he was a Branch House member deep in the bowels of the Main House, and could be caught and punished for being there. He was unafraid of this, but the threat of his curse seal – warm and vigilant on the skin of his forehead – kept his feet moving at a quick pace. He hurried silently through the compound, aiming for the door to the courtyard where his father's memorial was. He found it without too much trouble, and slid through the small gap he made for himself, not wanting to open the door completely for fear of being discovered.

The courtyard was quiet, save the babbling of the small stream that ran into the pond there. A few night-birds trilled their lullabies from high in the trees, and the occasional cicada buzzed in the thickets of bamboo towards the back of the yard. The air was tepid and thick with moisture, coating the plants and boulders with a small layer of droplets. Thunder rippled across the dark sky – the storm clouds on the horizon were slowly advancing, swallowing up the stars as it came. Neji leapt from the porch onto a nearby boulder, then hopped over three more, moving too swiftly to slip on the water covering the stone. He jumped the pond and landed in the tall grasses in the center of the courtyard, sending up a spray of dew as he landed. Rising up from the weeds a few feet before the Branch-Hyuuga was a thin black obelisk, embellished with kanji and the faint markings of the Hakkeshou. It was his father's memorial – put here by a grateful Sandaime Hokage and begrudgingly cared for by the Main House. Neji's eyes softened at the sight of the stone, the only reminder of his father's sacrifice – Hizashi had died silently, and left nothing to his bereaved son but painful memories. He didn't even have a tomb that Neji could run to when he needed comfort; the young Hyuuga had grown up not knowing what became of his father's body or soul at the hands of the Kumo-nin.

Stepping forward, the caged bird trailed his fingertips over the onyx obelisk, illuminating the faded Hakkeshou with the chakra buzzing in his fingertips. **"Father,"** He finally dared to speak, his voice melding with the song of the courtyard rather than disturbing it, **"I need your help." **He took a quiet breath and let it out smoothly, his eyelids falling halfway over his Byakugan.

"**I keep having these…thoughts, Father. I can't stop thinking about Hinata-sama – I'm obsessing over her, wondering where she is, worried for her safety. I feel cold and desperate when I'm not around her, or I don't know where she is; and I'm always warm and content when I'm with her. I-…I think I'm in love with her, Father. But why? Why am I in love with my cousin, Father?"** This was the Neji that nobody knew, weak and childlike before his father's monument. He continued to trace his fingers over the stone, seeking some sort of comfort from the unfeeling rock that represented his father; but none came. Doves crooned in the grasses on the edge of the bamboo thicket, the sound mournful to the lesser Hyuuga's ears. But as he listened to the doves, his father used them to whisper a soft answer to the torn Jounin.

_Protect her, Neji. Protect your cousin and your unborn son. That is the reason you were born, and the reason you still live. Understand, my son: every Hyuuga is born with a natural desire to inbreed, attracted to his or her own beauty and seeing beauty only in other Hyuugas. Very few Hyuugas overcome this want and marry an outsider, and none of those deviants are female – they always marry back into the clan, to keep the bloodline pure and unbroken. Whether Branch House or Main House, everyone in our clan comes into this world with selfish love in their souls, only desiring another set of white eyes to look amorously into. This is the reason you have always been so haughty, so highfalutin and drawn to your own body. I've seen you broken and alone, my son – I've seen what you've done in the darkness of your cage. I know how you've watched Lady Hinata with grief and pain in your eyes, and I pity you for what my brother has forced you into. But, my son, you can escape the destiny of your fellow Hyuugas by doing one thing: following your need to interbreed. You must marry Hinata-sama to defy your fate. _

"_**How is that defying my fate?! **_**I don't understand, Father!"** Neji's distressed voice split the nighttime silence, sending birds flying, startled, into the heavy air. Nothing more came from the doves, and the young Jounin's heart sank into his knotted stomach. It was hopeless – there was no escaping the incestuous desire bred into him from the very start. Fate had kept a choke-hold on his life, he realized, from the moment he was conceived as nothing more than a small clump of cells with Hyuuga genetics. He stepped back from the stone, suddenly dizzy and nauseous with disgust in himself and the realization that he was on a collision-course with the Hyuuga destiny. As if ignoring Neji's plight, the cicadas resumed their carefree buzzing in the thickets of bamboo; and the night-birds returned to their roosts, singing their lullabies to the thunderheads above.

The caged bird wandered to the stream and vomited.

---

A/N: I warned you that it would be dark. I'm depressed right now; life hates me, love hates me, and I had a writer's block for a few days. TT^TT Emotions aside, I hope you liked that chapter…all about Neji-san's inner turmoil and how disgusted he is by the incestuous feelings he can't erase. But what will happen to the caged bird now that he's realized he can't shake his desire to inbreed? Will he embrace it, throw off his promise to Hiashi, and marry Hinata instead of Tenten? Or will he go mad with hatred of himself and his feelings, too conceited to succumb to the Hyuuga way? Or, Kami-sama forbid, will he off himself to end any decision he needs to make? Anything can happen in the next chapter – but a baby is on the way, whether Neji-san wants it or not!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, Neji, or Hinata. In fact, I don't own anything associated with this fanfiction except the plot. Hence, I am not a thief/crook/butt pirate.


	9. Chapter IX: Protect Me, Neji

**Stone-cold and Sober**

_A tale of desire, desperation, blossoming romance, and the incestuous blood within the Hyuuga clan_

**Chapter IX:****  
Protect Me, Neji**

Shikamaru felt awkward. Holding Neji wasn't something he did frequently, but much less frequently-occurring was the situation at hand: the birth of a child into the Hyuuga clan. The Nara felt both blessed and cursed to be witnessing such an event - something normally kept within clan boundaries was being shared so willingly with him, but listening to Hinata's screams and moans made him cringe. Kami, why did childbirth have to be so painful?

Neji's shoulders trembled under the Chuunin's thin fingers. Shikamaru knew the lesser Hyuuga was blaming himself, cursing himself for his cousin's agony. He gingerly patted the Jounin's shoulders, trying to swallow the rising feeling of discomfort in his throat; he hated not knowing what to do.

Tears stung in the corners of Neji's eyes. Hinata gave a loud wail in the room behind him; he flinched and bowed his head lower, wanting to vanish into the floorboards of the Hyuuga compound. His cousin was suffering through the birth of his child, the one reason they had been bound together for so long…

Dark thoughts rampaged through the Jounin's mind as his cousin yelped loudly, causing his heart to flutter beneath his ribs like a bird locked in a cage. Damn, would this torment ever end?

Neji wept.

---

Hinata screamed. In the hallway, the caged bird's soul cracked under the weight of his concern. He was pacing, as he had been for the last three hours; in the back of his mind, he pondered if the floor would collapse beneath him due to its worn state. A low moan shook the vases within the Hyuuga princess's room; the Jounin without dug his nails into the heels of his hands, gritting his teeth against the piteous sobs wanting to issue from his throat. Damn his uncle for not allowing him in. It was the least he could do for his wailing cousin to sit by her side while she endured the birth of their bastard child. Hinata gave another pained yelp and Neji's palms began to bleed. Curse the segregated houses, curse his bloodthirsty uncle, curse the powerful blood flowing through his veins…Neji wanted to explode, and thought for sure that he would-…

The cry of a child split the caged bird's veneer of sorrow and nerve like a needle in a balloon. Hinata's weak gasp mirrored her Nii-san's silent one; like a pair of swimmers coming up for a much-needed breath of air, the cousins surfaced from their politics to breathe in the smell of family.

---

A/N: OMG, I am so sorry for the delay in updating this one! D8 Things got so busy around my house…and the holidays-…but the good news is that I got accepted to college~! So my future thus far is set. I can finish out this story in peace. :3 Thanks for being patient with me, and I hope you can forgive this large gap in updates. Short chapter this time, I know…but I promise chapter 10 will be longer, as it is the end.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, Neji, or Hinata. In fact, I don't own anything associated with this fan fiction except the plot. Hence, I am not a thief/crook/butt pirate.


End file.
